The transmission device is associated with the motor vehicle and accordingly forms, for example, a component of the motor vehicle. In particular, the transmission device lies in an operative connection between a drive mechanism of the motor vehicle and at least one driven axle of the motor vehicle. Of course, several driven axles may also be provided. In this case, the transmission device lies in the operative connection between the drive mechanism and at least some of the driven axles, in particular all of the driven axles.
The drive mechanism serves to provide a torque meant to drive the motor vehicle. This torque is transmitted across the transmission device or across the transmission associated with the transmission device. The transmission device serves to adjust different gearing ratios between the drive mechanism and the at least one driven axle. Each of these gearing ratios is associated with a drive gear. Usually there is a plurality of drive gears, each drive gear being associated with a gearing ratio, which is different from the gearing ratios of the other drive gears. The drive gears preferably include several forward drive gears. In addition, at least one reverse gear may be associated with the drive gears.
Thus, with the aid of the transmission, different drive gears or gearing ratios can be adjusted. Accordingly, the transmission is a shifting transmission. In order to set a particular drive gear on the transmission, for example when starting to drive the motor vehicle, the drive gear is selected from a drive gear set, which preferably comprises a plurality of drive gears, in particular all drive gears provided by the transmission. The selected drive gear is then set on the transmission, so that the gearing ratio associated with the drive gear is subsequently present between the drive mechanism and the at least one driven axle. For example, the starting operation occurs when the motor vehicle is supposed to be placed in motion from a standstill.
In addition or alternatively it may be provided that, upon going above a rotational speed upper limit, especially by a rotational speed of an input shaft of the transmission in operative connection with the drive mechanism, or able to be placed in such a connection, and/or a rotational speed of the drive mechanism, a drive gear is selected from the drive gear set which has a larger gearing ratio than the drive gear currently set on the transmission. On the other hand, in addition or alternatively, it may be provided that, upon going below a rotational speed lower limit, especially by the rotational speed of the input shaft and/or the rotational speed of the drive mechanism, a drive gear is selected from the drive gear set which has a smaller gearing ratio than the drive gear currently set on the transmission. The drive gear selected in this way is then set on the transmission so that the gearing ratio associated with it is present between the drive mechanism and the at least one driven axle.
Now, the problem which the invention proposes to solve is to propose a method for operating a transmission device which has benefits over other methods, in particular, one which enables a greater driving comfort of the motor vehicle.